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From tubing, hiking, and craft beer (or cider), there are many things to do in Bend, Oregon.
What we discovered during our 5 day visit was all of this, plus an interesting volcanic environment, a spectacular High Desert state park, delicious food, epic outdoor adventures, serene river tubing, a thriving music scene, and a hipster downtown feel.
Bend is the place to be for hot summers, a relaxed life and a happy feeling. There’s a reason why Bend is growing in popularity for those seeking outdoor fun all year round and those who are migrating there for a better pace of life.
When you visit Bend, you will be entertained by its surrounding peaks, most notable Mt Bachelor, in the winter, and for full-fledged music festivals and concerts in the summer.
Below are some of the top things we enjoyed doing on our visit…
1. Tubing on the Deschutes River
At the top of my list is to go tubing on the Deschutes River. If you’re done after an hour float, which we were thanks to the cooler temperatures and 57F water temps, Bend Whitewater Park is a great place to disembark.
If you want to keep going, you can float for another hour up to Drake Park in the downtown area.
Whitewater Park however is not to be missed either way. This is where the river splits into three separate channels, providing a ride for all skill levels.
Tubers will want to go down the Passageway Channel which is a more mellow series of rapids. It’s a fun ride and there are chances you will flip as I did on the very last rapid.
As you come down the rapids, you can easily get stuck in them as it hits the water underneath on the next level. You may have to wait for another tube to bump you out of it if you can’t get yourself out.
Or, you could be just like me and flip out!
I actually found it quite refreshing and didn’t care when I slipped and went under again trying to walk out of the rapidly moving river.
With plenty of time up your sleeve why not go through the rapids again and again.
You’ll definitely want to stay awhile and watch the surfers ride the waves in the whitewater channel next to the tubing one. It created distinct man-made waves you can surf or kayak through.
2. Hike the Misery Ridge Trail, Smith Rock State Park
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